TO THE HONORABLE BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED, AND TO GENERAL FRANK J. GRASS, CHIEF OF THE NATIONAL GUARD BUREAU:

We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

WHEREAS, The opportunity exists to add a second Stryker Brigade Combat Team to the Army National Guard's force structure, and to locate this Brigade on the west coast; and

WHEREAS, There are a variety of practical and strategic reasons which make the 81st Armored Brigade Combat Team a logical candidate for conversion; and

WHEREAS, A Stryker Brigade Combat Team stationed on the west coast will strengthen our nation's defense by maintaining Stryker capacity focused on the Asia-Pacific Region, enhance Regular Army/Army National Guard partnership, and provide a key domestic response capability; and

WHEREAS, Transitioning the 81st Armored Brigade Combat Team to a Stryker Brigade Combat Team strategically places Strykers in Washington, Oregon, and California, and will save taxpayers thirty million dollars over the course of an army force generation cycle; and

WHEREAS, The 81st Armored Brigade Combat Team is headquartered at Camp Murray, Washington, located just across the street from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, which is the United States Army's Stryker Center of Excellence and is within convoy range of the Yakima Training Center; and

WHEREAS, The extensive Stryker infrastructure available at Joint Base Lewis-McChord and the Yakima Training Center represents a great advantage in leveraging shared resources; and

WHEREAS, Furthermore, this places the Stryker Brigade Combat Team equipment sets brought back from overseas contingencies into mission-ready use, and available for overseas and domestic contingency response; and

WHEREAS, Strykers will also give the governors of Washington, Oregon, and California a fast, durable, and effective asset to save lives, protect property, maintain peace, and ensure the continuity of government in times of emergency;

NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that as you consider force structure balance in this era of constrained resources, coupled with the tactical, strategic, and domestic needs of our nation, you will support the conversion of the 81st Armored Brigade Combat Team of the Washington National Guard into a Stryker Brigade Combat Team with brigade units stationed in Washington, Oregon, and California.

BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable Barack Obama, President of the United States, General Frank J. Grass, Chief of the National Guard Bureau, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.

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